


stay fresh

by bluecranes



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Rivals, but so does tamaki, glorified paintball, sougo's got a gun, splatoon au kinda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-29 17:54:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16748851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluecranes/pseuds/bluecranes
Summary: The Pudding Pirates had something to prove, and Tamaki Yotsuba was deadset on painting that stupid, handsome, deadly smile of off the heir of the Osaka empire's face. In this kind of battle, all one needed was a paint gun filled to the brim, and a determination to win.





	stay fresh

**Author's Note:**

> hi! thank you for enjoying the IDOLiSH7 flashbang! this is a standalone piece, since my artist ended up dropping out. I had fun writing this anyway, even though MEZZO" isn't what I usually write! It is inspired by the ainana Grand Extermination Operation, and Splatoon! I hope you enjoy!

                                                                            

_[check out the rest of the cards here!](http://idolish7.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Series:_Grand_Extermination_Operation!) _

* * *

 

Sougo Osaka was his sworn enemy, Tamaki had to remind himself. As he watched the lilac-haired man from across the field, his hand gripped tighter on his gun. He could not, and _would not,_ lose.

The Osaka family was known to have a solid hold on the paint gun industry, having a large stake in the production of weapons. Because of this, Sougo always had access to the newest and most powerful equipment. Taking lessons since he was young. Competing in local competitions, and eventually moving up to the state level. He never stayed on a team long. Tamaki knew it had to be because the guy was...well…

Weird.

There was _definitely_ something off about him.

He was always so as something about him that made Tamaki very, very interested. It wasn’t like he was obsessed with him, it was more like a genuine curiosity. He still had so many questions...

But right now really wasn’t the time.

"The final match between the Pudding Pirates and SPY-C will now begin! The rules are simple and the same as always. Cover the course with as much paint of your color as possible, and take your enemies’ flags with every opportunity! Run out of flags, and your team automatically loses! The team with a majority of their paint on the course will be declared the champion!”

As soon as Tamaki heard this whistle he immediately charged the middle, allowing his 3 teammates to cover the ground while he went offensively. The air was already filled with the scent of paint, and Tamaki couldn’t help but smirk as he shot the blue paint from his gun across the course. There was someone in his way---

Someone...short. Someone with a flag just asking to be taken. With the reach of his wrist, Tamaki was able to pull his flag away with ease.

“Damn it...” A fluffy haired boy with an orange hat grimaced as he was whistled and forced off the course for his 10-second penalty. Tamaki smirked. “Watch where you’re going next time Mikki!”

“Don’t act friendly with me, Tamaki!”

However, as quickly as Tamaki was ready to celebrate his kill, he felt eyes watching him. Rolling down and low across the field, he kept his eyes alert to the direction of where the splattering of the purple paint was coming from. It came out in a rapid burst of shots, and Tamaki could feel his heart racing.

There was only one person who had that level of control over a Spooky Splatling.

“Yotsuba-san...how nice it is to see you again!” A pleasant voice purred, and the chill down Tamaki’s spine immediately confirmed his suspicions.

“Sou-chan!” he scrambled upwards, pointing his gun at him and taking a defensive position. The infamous Sougo Osaka was right in front of him, a cordial but slightly menacing smile plastered on his face as he quickly winded up the gun once more.

“What is it? Did you miss the taste of purple paint?” he aimed it at Tamaki’s face, letting the paint fly as he reached for the second can around his waist.

Tamaki quickly bolted out of the way, the paint just barely missing him as he stuck his arm out to shoot back. A few rapid fire shots left his gun and Sougo dodged back and forth, his shoulders swaying as he grinned at Tamaki. The wink that Sougo gave him left him confused, but also a little breathless.

What was the wink for?!

“Not bad Yotsuba-san! But you really should be watching your back!”

_“Sorry, Tamaki-kun.”_

That was the voice of yet another one of Sougo’s teammates.

_“Ten Ten.”_

The whistle shook Tamaki from his reverie, and he realized that he had been duped. Tricked. Bamboozled. He was shot in the back, and one of his 2 flags had been snatched from his waist. The flirtatious act that his opponent had put on for a moment had seemed innocent, but it was all part of SPY-C’s plans to take the championship title once more. He was forced to the sidelines for his penalty.

Tamaki began his countdown from 10, taking a deep breath as he evaluated the situation. He saw a flash of red go by him, and of _course,_ it was Riku on defense, quickly cleaning up the enemy paint that had been thrown on their side.

“Let’s go Rikkun! Keep it up!”

The rest of the battle went similarly, with Nagi as their rather...chaotic tank. His job was to make sure Riku’s job as clean-up crew went quick and easy. Few dared to challenge Nagi.

“Oh! Mitsuki!” Nagi called out, charging towards the older enemy gunner with his...comically large hammer, “Perhaps you’ll realize you really can’t lose against us!”

Mitsuki wasn’t giving up that easily, and aimed right at Nagi’s face, splattering his goggles and blinding him for a moment.

“OH!”

Tamaki rushed to Nagi’s aid, before realizing he was being stalked. The adrenaline of battle reminded him to follow his instinct. He had to help Nagi, but he also had to help himself. He whipped around and sprayed whoever had decided to follow him this far across the map.

But no one was there. Damn! A wasted tank…

Riku tried to be there to protect Tamaki's back, but there was nothing he could do as a splash of purple hit his back, knocking him to the ground. Sougo valiantly held Riku's flag in his hand. It fluttered ever so slightly as Riku held his head low in defeat. Tenn strode towards Riku, towering over him.

“I told you, you weren't ready for this stage, Riku.”

Riku struggled to his feet before lunging towards Tenn, knocking him to the ground. It was an unexpected move from the defensive player, and the crowd gasped. Tenn too, felt himself a little breathless. He never expected Riku to tower over him, clutching a stolen flag in his hand.

“I came here to win, Tenn-nii. And that's exactly what we've come here to do!”

Despite this power move on Riku's end, he left himself completely vulnerable. Mitsuki snatched the last flag with ease. The twins had had a battle of their own.

The rest of the match went similarly, with Mitsuki and Nagi in a mutual showdown. Both of them taken out by each other.

With the defeat of both of Sougo's teammates, it was just Sougo left _somewhere._

The stadium boomed with excitement as Tamaki stalked the field, his heart racing with the image of those piercing amethyst eyes locking onto him. He had no idea why Sougo was so intense about the game. Tamaki just thought it was fun. And he was _good_ at it too.

Tamaki was naturally athletic, and Paint Wars like this let him shoot a gun, run around, and dodge like he was in a real battle zone. Like right now?

It's war.

There was a light splashing of footsteps and Tamaki tensed up, spinning around to face Sougo, who's expression was unreadable. It was something between satisfaction and sadism. The way Sougo's eyes trailed up Tamaki's body, hovering over the way his biceps flexed as he tightened his gun.

“Tamaki. Let's end this, okay?”

They both had one flag remaining.

“It's the only way, Sou-chan.”

Immediately they charged towards one another, Tamaki's eyes and soul lighting up with a special fire that only burned when he faced Sougo. No one made him feel this way. No one made this game worth playing like Sougo does.

Sougo aimed his gatling at Tamaki's stomach, a surefire way to knock the wind out of him. Tamaki readied a clenched fist, swinging his hand back. The audience gasped, the fear of witnessing violence loud and ominous in the stadium. Sougo's face twisted in confusion but it was quickly replaced by the impact on his chest.

A balloon, filled to the brim with paint. Crushed under the duress of Tamaki’s hand against Sougo’s chest, it exploded, covering them both violently in paint.

Tamaki’s face was inches from his opponent’s, a small blush forming on both of their cheeks as Sougo looked down at the front of his shirt. Blue splattered across his chest like a gunshot wound. And Sougo’s flag was ripped from his chest as if it were his beating heart.

Sougo collapsed to the ground as he heard the crowd roar from the upset. Tamaki was quick-- catching the man in his guilt and pain stained hands. He cradled him close. Sougo looked up at Tamaki with a half lidded expression.

“Tama..ki. You did so well… I'm so…” A cough. “Proud of you… And now… I'll….”

“You'll?”

“I'll finally be able to move on peacefully.”

“Stop acting like you're dying, Sou!”

“I can move on and _finally..”_

“Finally?”

“Finally be able to reward you for beating me. If...you want.”

“Is it King Pudding?”

“Maybe just as sweet.”

“Wha--? There’s nothing as sweet as King Pu--”

But with Sougo’s tugging Tamaki’s collar down to bring their lips together, Tamaki was suddenly aware that perhaps Sougo’s lips _were_ as sweet as King Pudding. There was a loud roar from the audience, and a small nervous smile on Sougo’s lips as he pulled away.

“Sou-chan? You don’t care...that it was in front of all these people?”

“Who cares what my dad thinks... _you’re_ the champion now, Tamaki.”

With the roar of the crowd nearly drowning out Sougo’s praise, Tamaki looked around realizing that yes, he _was_ the champion now. And he had finally defeated his greatest adversary.

His very strange boyfriend, Sougo Osaka.

Tamaki kissed Sougo once more, missing his lips and kissing his chin and cheeks and nose. Sougo giggled furiously before they were pulled off the field and Tamaki was thrust onto the winner’s stand, trophy in hand.

Looking on, Sougo couldn’t have been more proud of him.

**Author's Note:**

> yell at me on twitter! @flyhinata


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